No. 129.} 257 



product have you 1 1 say at least twenty-Jive per cent I and this 

 profit is by no means limited to wet lands ; almost all soils are 

 greatly improved by this truly scientific operation. Underdrains 

 receive the water through the soil ; no opening is necessary on 

 the surface of the drains ; they are made of unglazed clay, and 

 are so porous that the water forces through the pores, and the 

 drain is constantly filled with pure water, and so carried off — all 

 the elements of manure are left in the soil above. Make drains 

 eighty feet apart, five feet deep, and then the water will be 

 drawn off between them to that depth, except at the middle part, t 

 so that a section of the land would show a level surface, while 

 the water line would be a curve five feet below the surface at 

 each drain, and somewhat less at the middle. But these five 

 feet cuts at 80 feet apart are as good as three feet cuts at 20 feet 

 apart. All drains should follow the natural slope or inclination 

 of the surface — not after the old herring-bone plan. The drains 

 need not be wide ; a few inches is as good as feet. Draining 

 tools are now in use with which a man can dig a five feet deep 

 drain of a few inches wide. I have paid ten cents per rod for 

 digging my drains, so that, with the cost of the tiles, they have 

 cost me twenty-five cents per rod, the outside expense. 



Dr. Underbill, of Croton Point — The remarks just made by 

 Professor Mapes are very important to farmers. The constant 

 .robbery of the soil is lamented deeply by all good men. How 

 is it to be prevented 1 How are the requisite supplies to be re- 

 stored to the lands ? One grand source is the atmosphere, that 

 |s an immense magazine of the elements which are drawn by vege- 

 tating power. These float in solution in the air, leaves of plants 

 take them in and they breath, but the root of a plant is its 

 stomach, there the food, the pabulum must be applied. The roots 

 incline to reach depths in the land which atmospheric air cannot 

 reach. By deep tillage and pulverising of soil the air enters 

 deeper and roots there receive a bountiful supply, all of which is 

 impossible in shallow cultivated lands. 



I must say that within ten years past my mind has undergone 

 alteration as to sub-soiling and draining. It is certain that in 

 [Assembly, No. 129.1 17 



